Black rhino undergoes portable CT scan at Illinois' Brookfield Zoo

A black rhino is recovering from a CT scan that happened at Brookfield Zoo.

The goal is to help her breathe. It was a major undertaking, moving 7-year-old Layla for the procedure.

She weighs 2,300 pounds, so she's too big for treatment at the zoo hospital.

A portable CT scanner was brought into a habitat for the rhino, and it's believed to be the first time that's been done to an animal of her species.

"The CT scan provided diagnostic results that we could not have otherwise obtained," said Dr. Michael Adkesson, vice president of clinical medicine for CZS, which manages Brookfield Zoo. "This procedure is an example of our commitment to providing the animals in our care with the most advanced medical treatment available. More importantly, though, the CT scan on Layla has provided us an unparalleled look inside of her skull. The images we obtained will guide our future treatment plan. We are extremely grateful to NeuroLogica and Sound Technologies for their support in this critical undertaking to help Layla."

Layla was born on October 18, 2010, at the Kansas City Zoo and arrived at Brookfield Zoo in 2012.

"Not only is Layla valuable to the rhinoceros population in professional care, she also plays an important role at Brookfield Zoo by raising awareness about the species and why conservation efforts are so critical," said Amy Roberts, senior curator of mammals for CZS. "When our guests come to see Layla and our other black rhinos, we hope they will be inspired to care about these amazing animals so that future generations will be able to also appreciate them."